Spritzing - would like advice - Orchid Board

josterha · #1 03-30-2008, 11:37 PM

Hello everyone,

I have read about spritzing orchids in books, and read several comments on the forum about spritzing. I have mostly phals, paphs and one oncidium. My questions are:

1) Is there any part of the plant that should not be spritzed (maybe blooms, new buds)?

2) How much should I spritz (in volume)? Currently, I just spray a few times around the plants and try to get air-exposed roots on my phals pretty good, so they don't dry out. The leaves have a cover of small droplets on them when I am finished. Is this enough, too much?

3) How often is it necessary to spritz? Should I spritz just in the morning or whenever I have a free moment?

Being such a newbie at this, I would love to hear some others' opinions and advice.

Thanks,

John

kiki-do · #2 03-31-2008, 12:27 AM

Hi John! I am in the same boat as far as misting my orchids. Some say misting is a waste of time. Others swear by it. I mist mine daily, with the exception of Brassia's or paph's. I always mist in the morning... told by vendors that they must be dry by nightfall. I also do not mist actual blooms as it causes spotting. I mist exposed roots, leaves, and buds. I have low humidity factors here in Maine. I think it's all a personal preference. I've read as many pros as cons about this.
Everyone I have talked to and everyone I have read about say to make sure they are dry by nightfall, so that is the important part to remember. Hope that helped!

josterha · #3 03-31-2008, 12:35 AM

Kiki,

Thanks for the response. I too have low humidity problems in the winter, here in Chicago. I'm now sure that is the reason that my phals had blasted buds in the past. You said that you mist daily with the exception of paphs... Does that mean that you mist paphs more or never? I am new to paphs and I have two beautiful paphs in bloom right now. Should I not be misting them at all? Please help; I don't want to kill them!

Thanks,
John

razka3 · #4 03-31-2008, 12:40 AM

Do not mist paphs! I have had bad luck with that... lost a few leaves. They like moist medium, but not soaking wet, I let mine dry out a little in between watering, but not bone dry.

quiltergal · #5 03-31-2008, 12:46 AM

I only mist the root zone, and only in the heat of summer. I have pretty decent RH fall, winter and spring. It really takes a dive in the summer though. A good day is 40%. I have found misting really only makes me feel better, not my plants. Just my

.

kiki-do · #6 03-31-2008, 12:58 AM

Misting Brassia's cause spots...they don't like it at all. Misting paph's is a no-no also. They are like african violets where they don't like moisture on the leaves at all. I have a friend, however, who insists on misting hers and says as long as it is dry by nightfall. I still don't because a reputable orchid grower told me not to. I do keep the medium moist (not drenched) on a paph, especially if it is in bud. I had a bud blast on me recently and was told it was because of letting it get too dry.
Having said all that, I am struggling with getting my three paph's to rebloom and it's been a good year plus, so I am definitely someone who is also learning as I go when it comes to that type orchid.
Why is it that the ones we find so alluring are the ones that seem so difficult for us to figure out?

All the others I have, I mist once a day.

Ray · #7 03-31-2008, 06:48 AM

Misting for the purpose of wetting the roots is fine, but you should not wet the plant, especially in the evening, where the plants can "go to bed" wet, which encourages bacterial and fungal growth.

Misting by hand for the purpose of increasing the humidity is a futile effort, but wetting the leaves is actually less efficient than misting into the air. (Read this: Evaporation)

razka3 · #8 03-31-2008, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kiki-do

Why is it that the ones we find so alluring are the ones that seem so difficult for us to figure out?

That is too true...!

Ross · #9 03-31-2008, 03:50 PM

I am of the opinion (for whatever that is worth?) that misting, spritzing, whatever, is a terrible waste of time. I have my orchids divided into 2 groups - those that need (desperitely) high humidity and those that don't. The ones that don't are the ones most folks seem to want to spritz. Phals, Paphs, Encyclias, Epidendrums, Cats, Brassias, Intergenerics, etc. My home humidity runs 30-35% winter and higher in summer. I never spritz and they do just fine. When I was misting in the old days, the leaves turned all spotty and the Paphs and Phals rotted in the center. I have 3 Paphs going into spike/bloom right now under this regime.

The orchids that require higher humidities are in an orchidarium under 90-99% humidity. Take that! (Smack).

josterha · #10 03-31-2008, 11:20 PM

Ross,

Thanks for the advice. I feel a lot better knowing that another "northerner" is having an OK time during the winter. I have ordered my hygrometer, but haven't received it yet. Same for my humidity trays. I think I'll take the advice of others above and spritz only the root area of my phals and leave my paphs alone! What about oncidium? Anyone?